Improvement in amalgamators



J. MICHEL. Amalgamator.

. No. 211,248. Patented' 1311.7, 187,9.Y

Il Elli/i419 Y 111 711111 Witnesses.

N-PEIERS, PHOTO-LITHDGAPHER. WASHINGTON. D l: I

' NITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE;

, JUSTIN MICHEL, oF Nirvana CITY, CALIFORNIA.

IM PROVEM ENT4 IN AMALGAMATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,248, dated January'7, 1879 application filed September 16, 1878.

To all whomlz't may concern: I

Be it known that l, J UsTIN MICHEL, of Nevada City, county of Nevada,and State of California, have invented an ImprovedAmalgama-ting-Pan; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.My invention relates to an improved amalgamator for working orescontaining precious metals; and my improvements consist in ya novelmethod of forming a pan so as to provide interior and exterior bodies ofmercury, into which the ore is injected by Centripetal and centrifugalaction, and this action is facilitated by peculiar construction andarrangement of the parts of the pan, as will be more fully described byreference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a verticalsection. view of the muller. dies. n My invention consists in a panprovided with a bottom gradually descending from the center to thecircumference, and provided with a Haring rim which merges. into aninwardlycurved projection or rim, whereby a more rapid feed andcirculation are kept up, the form of the bottom always starting thecurrent at once outwardly, 'and aiding the centrifugal action.

Let A represent my am al gamatin g-pan, with inclined sides X, mountedou the usual standards, and having the pulley B, shaft C, gear D, andpinion E', as shown, said pulley, shaft,

Fig. 2 is a Fig. 3 is a view of the gear, and pinion being for thepurpose of di-.

recting the power to the operating parts of the mechanism, ashereinafter described.

In the center of the pan is the hollow standard E, which projectsupwardly above the top ofthe pan, and inside of which plays the verdtical shaft F, having the pinion E at its lower end, which engages withthe gear D. AMI-.ollar, G, is formed ,on this vertical shaft, whichrevolves on the top of the hollow standard, thus forming a bearing forsaid shaft. A hollow cylinder or sleeve, H, slips down over the shaft Fand standard E.

This sleeve has an extension, I, made somewhat smaller than the sleeve,and inside of which the upper end of the shaft F projects, the sleeveitself inclosing the standard E. At the point where the sleeve andextension join an odset is formed, as shown, the sleeve being larger indiameter than the extension, and at the saine time thicker. jFeed-holesJ are bored or formed vertically down through the sleeve H,communicating with the center of the pan, as shown. Several of thesefeed-holes are formed vin the sleeve, and the pulp is fed to the panthrough them.4 An upwardly-extending rim or ange, K, is formed on orattached to the upper end of the sleeve H, as shown, and answers as asort of hopper above the feed-holes. The ore fed into this ring orhopper passes down through the feed-tubes to the center of the pan, sothat a sort offunnel is formed for the continuousintroduction of ore andwater. To the lower part of the sleeve H are attached the muller ringsor frames L, to which are secured the slices M by dovetail mortise andtenon.

The dies Q are so placed on the bottom of the pan as to, leave a groove,N, around the center of the pan, into which quicksilver is placed. Thelower part of the sleeve H is cut away above this groove N, as shownat.O, `so that amalgamation may be accomplished. by centripetalinjection, the centripetal force being induced by means of the curvedrim P, as hereinafter described.

The dies Q are so formed as to leave a groove, R, around the pan, intowhich quicksilver is introduced for amalgamationv by centrifugalinjection, the centrifugal force being induced by the rotation of thearms and shoes attached to the sleeve, as herein described.

0n the upper sides of the arms or frames L are placed adjustableagitators T, which, by their peculiar shape, regulate the centrifugalmotion of the water. These agitators have a set-screw or common screw,S, by which they are attached to the arms or frame, and which will holdthem in any desired angle or position.

The pan has an inwdtlly-projecting curved rim, l?, which tends to directthe heavier par- .ticles of ore to the center, as hereinafter described.The lighter particles flow over the edge of this rim and fall into thechanneled plate or conveyer T passing from this through the spout U tothe settlers, or wherever it is desired to lead them.

A feather, V, is formed on the upper end of the vertical lshaft F, whichen gageswith a longitudinal groove formed in the extension I of thesleeve H, so that when the shaft F is set in motion this motion isimparted to the sleeve carrying the arms and shoes.

In order to be able to regulate the height of the shoes above the dies7a set-screw, V', passes down through the upper end of the extension I,and its lower end/rests in the top of the shaft F, a suitable bearingbeing formed aty that point. l As this setscrew is screwed through theextension, by turning it the extension may be raised or lowered, thusraising or lowering the sleeve carrying the arms and shoes. Adischarge-pipe, W, on the lower side of the pan,is used 'ordrawing oft'the contents when it is desired to clear up the pan.

It will be seen that continuous feed and discharge maybe maintainedin myim proved pan. The pulp may be led by appropriate means into the ring orreceiver'K, and is directed by the holes in the shell down to the bottomof the pan, where it falls into the quicksilver in the central groove,N. The natural centrifugal motion imparted to the mass of pulp by the.lnotion of the shoes and agita-tors is such as to direct it to the outeredge of the pan, where it again mingles4 with the quicksilver in thegroove or channel R. The pulpis then directed by the inclined or bevelededge of the pan toward the upper edge of the pan, where it strikes theinwardly-projecting curved rim I), which throws the heavier particles ofpulp by centripetal action toward the central groove, N, through theopening 0, where they may again mingle with the Quicksilver. rlhelighter material may then pass off with the water, which is continuouslyoverflowing all around the pan, as herein described. In this way the pan'is kept free by the .ore passing oft' in the muddy water after it isground sufciently fine to iioat, and the ore is not ground and reground,as in other pans.

The grooves N and R are formed by the dies 'or false bottom, which areofthe same dimensions as the shoes or grinders, and which do not coverthe entire surface of the bottom, but leave the channel around the outeredge and center of thepan, as described. These grooves are illed withquicksilver, where it is held in one body, instead of being ground withthe pulp, as is the case with many ordinary pans. rIhe quicksilver notbeing ground is not floured or ground into line particles, which willpass off' and be lost.

As a uniform motion ofthe water and pulp while the pan is in operationis desirable, the adjustable agitators are added. When the shoes are newthe desired velocity is obtained without the use of the agitators; butas the former wea-r down the position of the latteris changed, so as tokeep the motion of the water and pulp the same. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The pan A, having a iiat descending bottom from center tocircumference, the outward- 1y-inclined sides X, and inwardly-curved rimor lip P, in combination with the rotating shoes and muller, whereby acontinuous grinding and circulation of pulp take place, substantially asherein described.

2. The pan A, with its outwardly-inclined sides X and theinwardly-curved rim P, in combination with the muller L and theadjustable iianges or agitators T, whereby the outward iow of thecurrent is increased and is thrown up the sides into thereturnin gcurve, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand.

JUSTIN MICHEL.

Witnesses R. G. WALRA'ri-I, A. BOARD.

